Government programs that support low-cost rabies vaccination give you an idea of how rampant and deadly the rabies virus has gotten. Stories of the four children reported to have contracted the disease, where only one survived have touched a raw spot in pet owners worldwide. By law, pet owners are required to have their pets vaccinated. In fact, only a small percentage of pets have been inoculated or have updated vaccinations. Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Diseases number in the scores, just as in humans. But, veterinarians tend to see some much more than others. Sadly, a great deal of grief could be avoided if more dog owners were careful to see that their pets are immunized regularly against preventable dog diseases. While experts, as usual, may differ, what are the top ten dog diseases? Here’s a list (not necessarily in order of seriousness) with a brief explanation of each disease:
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Like humans, our canine friends can suffer back pain.  It is especially prevalent in small breeds like Dachshund and Lhasa apso, but bigger breeds like German Shepherds and Great Danes can also suffer.  Additionally, dogs that are overweight are more likely to have back problems than their leaner counterparts. Read the rest of this entry »

Accounting for better than five percent of all tumors known to occur in the dog, lymphosarcoma is the commonest malignancy seen in aging dogs, especially those in the eight to twelve-year range. Its cause is unknown and is relentlessly fatal, but early diagnosis combined with one or more of the therapy modes just described can comfortably prolong life for eight months to a year.
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Hyperplasia of the prostate gland is a benign enlargement due to an increase in the number of cells within the gland and occurs in about 2/3 of older male dogs. However, only a small percentage of these dogs ever show any noticeable signs of the abnormality. The underlying cause is unknown but is thought to be an imbalance of the hormones produced in aging testicles. As the prostate is located directly below the rectum, the enlarged gland may press up against the rectal wall and cause difficulty and discomfort while defecating, straining, and constipation. Unlike man, there is rarely any pain or difficulty in urinating.

Medical treatment with an estrogen injection generally stops the symptoms, reduces the size of the prostate within five or six days, and will keep it that way for several months, in most cases, and occasionally for several years. Some few dogs respond poorly, or not at all, and can be helped only by castration, which causes a permanent shrinking of the prostate.
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One of the most common causes of newborn puppy deaths is what has been named as the “fading puppy syndrome.”  Many of the unexplained puppy deaths that fall into this category would undoubtedly go elsewhere if only an accurate diagnosis could be made.  Unfortunately, many of these poor little pets die so rapidly that no diagnosis can be made.
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Similar to healthy dogs, sick dogs need to eat in order to supply energy and nutrients for growth, for replacement and repair; as well as to meet an ever changing need.  Nutritional requirements for a sick dog usually do not differ greatly from those of a healthy dog.  A sick dog’s dietary needs, however, can become substantially different from those of a healthy dog.
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Obesity is the most common nutritional disease in American dogs today.  It is the result of simply eating more calories than are burned.  Dogs have a built-in protection against this disease, a control mechanism in their brains that satisfies their hunger after they have eaten enough calories to meet their daily energy needs.  However, it is possible to upset this control mechanism. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the problem behaviors in dogs are a result of an infection from parasite.  These include internal parasites such as roundworm and tapeworm, flea infestation, ear mites, and Hypermetria.
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Demodex mites are present on the skin of all dogs but in some animals born with a defective immune system the numbers increase and begin to cause problems.  Dalmatians are usually cited as one of the most common breeds affected with this condition.  Although it is thought to be genetically transmitted, the mode of transmission has never been conclusively demonstrated.
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